Jaipur.,The birth anniversary of Jhulelal, the patron deity of the Sindhi community, will be celebrated with great enthusiasm as Cheti Chand on March 20 in Jaipur. A series of religious and cultural events are being organized across the city as part of a fortnight-long celebration.
As part of the celebrations, the Cheti Chand Sindhi Mela Samiti will organize a grand fair on Sunday, March 15, at 5 pm at the Dussehra Ground. Samiti president Narendra Mulchandani said the fair will showcase the rich traditions of Sindhi culture.
Spokesperson Tulsi Sangtani said a grand tableau of Lord Jhulelal will be displayed at the fair, where the deity will be depicted seated on a swing. The tableau will also feature Shiva seated on a mountain. As Jhulelal is considered the god of water, fountains will create a visual effect of water droplets, while children will be delighted by animated displays including a moving lion figure.
General secretary Pramod Nawani said the fair will be inaugurated by Monu Ram, who will hoist the religious flag and light the ceremonial lamp. Mela coordinator Vijay Balani said a large decorative temple of Jhulelal will be set up at the center of the ground. Activities such as a colouring competition for children and a Sindhi cuisine competition for women will also be held.
Treasurer Deepak Varandani said singer Manoj Mamnani will present a musical evening of Sindhi songs. Prasad including doda chutney from Shri Amarapur Darbar and sweet rice and chole from Jhulelal Temple will be distributed among devotees. The event will also feature performances by the Sundar Band.
The main sponsor of the fair is Titu Print, while co-sponsors include Balani Paint, Healthy Choice Poha, Ruff and Tuff Bags, Mount Molded Furniture and HP Light and Generator.
Under the aegis of Bharatiya Sindhu Sabha, a vehicle rally will also be organized from 8 am. Community representatives Vishnu Dev Samtani and Kamal Aswani said the rally will start from Trimurti Circle and conclude at the Dussehra Ground.
Further events will continue throughout the week. On March 17, the Siddh Thakur Nath Seva Samiti will organize a cultural programme and Kalash Yatra at the community centre in Thadi Market, Mansarovar.
On March 18, a grand Kalash Yatra of 551 women will be held. Coordinator Meena Mulchandani said the procession will start from the Govind Dev Ji Temple and conclude at the Jhulelal Temple, where a Maha Aarti will be performed.
On March 19, a folk dance competition of Chhej will take place at the Jhulelal Temple in Bani Park. Event member Rakesh Kriplani said more than 20 teams will showcase their dance performances.
The main Cheti Chand celebrations will be held on March 20. Religious rituals will take place in temples in the morning, followed by a grand procession starting at 2 pm from the Chaugan Stadium. Tableau secretary Ramesh Harpalani said the procession will feature five major bands playing Sindhi music and 51 decorative tableaux. The procession will pass through various routes of the city before concluding at the Jhulelal Temple in Kanwar Nagar, where awards for the best tableaux will be announced.